Summary by Goodreads:
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again . . .
The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady’s maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives–presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.
“I’m glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say.”
My Thoughts:
I’m disappointed in myself for never reading this book sooner. It has always been recommended to me, it’s always been spoken highly of, yet I never took the time to read it until now. And I must say, I was not at all let down by the hype it had received. It was everything I wanted it to be but still left me guessing. I was intrigued from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down. It is the perfect book to read next to a fireplace, with a cup of hot chocolate, in your bed until 2 in the morning, or in the bath with a glass of wine. It’s the ideal book for any woman whether you like romance, mystery, classics, etc. Rebecca is a beautiful book everybody should read.
The narrator is so relatable to women, which is another reason I was so intrigued. She over analyzed everything, obsessed over her man’s ex, (which you know we all do. How delightful to know women even did this nearly a century ago!) and jumping to conclusions. “They came because they wanted to compare me to Rebecca…” How many times do we think we are being compared to our significant other’s ex? This book was such a treat because it wasn’t whiny and overly emotional, but it rather dove into a woman’s mind and painted what goes on inside beautifully and elegantly. It shows what a woman has to go through and the emotional and mental struggles we have to deal with. Yet she overcomes it and comes out on top. Daphne du Maurier does women everywhere justice.
At first, I was confused, still intrigued, but also confused. I had no idea what the story was about or where it was going. But how beautifully it was told, how descriptive, how relatable kept me going. A few chapters in I was finally pulled into the mystery. If you find the first chapter or two to be dull, continue reading and I promise you will not be disappointed. You will become entranced, you will become the narrator, obsessed with Rebecca, obsessed with solving the mysteries of Manderley.
Manderley. What a sight to behold. The setting was gorgeous, the characters were captivating, and Manderley itself was everything I would imagine an old estate to be. I felt as if I was the woman of the house, selecting meals, ordering around the servants, having esteemed guests over to pass the time, and throwing elaborate parties with my handsome, rich husband. Yet the story was not stereotypical as I’m making it sound, neither was the setting. It was so desirable yet written so differently from every other famous novel setting that you wish not to be at Thornfield Hall or Pemberly or even Gatsby’s mansion, but wish to be at Manderley.
There truly wasn’t a moment I didn’t enjoy. I never got tired of the language, I never grew bored of the descriptive scenery, I never wished this chapter was over, and I never had a time where I had to push through to get to the “interesting” parts. The mystery, the drama, and the tone of this story kept me reading. The entire book kept me interested and on the edge of my seat, but also perfectly content.
“I suppose sooner or later in the life of everyone comes a moment of trial. We all of us have our particular devil who rides us and torments us, and we just give battle in the end.”
I recommend this book to…
…women who want to read something that isn’t just a generic romance. I recommend this book to people who enjoy books like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. If you like romance novels, read Rebecca. If you like mysteries, read Rebecca. If you like gothic style writing or older novels or classics, read Rebecca. Give this book as a gift to your grandma, your best girlfriend, even have your dad or husband give it a go. I recommend this book to preteens and teenagers as well considering it has no vulgar or explicit content. Truly, if you wish to get lost in another time and place, I suggest you choose this absolutely satisfying novel.
“She was never one to stand mute and still and be wronged. ‘I’ll see them in hell…I’ll see them in hell first.”
Comfort Guide:
Very minimal swearing. No uses of the “F” word. No sexual content. No violence aside from one man getting punched in the jaw. Talk of death, suicide, and murder. Nothing explicit.
Info:
Author – Daphne du Maurier
Published – 1938
Page Count – 386
Guess I won’t read this one!
You should though! It’s great.